Return to Dreams
by bakablonde
Summary: This picks up after last OVA from Sol Bianca: Legacy. If you didn't enjoy the FebApril vibes in the show, then keep going. If you like the idea of these two women together, read on!
1. Chapter 1

April sighed and scratched the mop of freshly-washed hair on top of her head as she looked out her port window at the stars. She was exhausted from the events of the last few days but something in her prevented her from falling right in to the bed. She yawned and ran her hands through her hair in distraction, almost too tired to think but unable to stop the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that swirled about like a sandstorm in her mind. Questions, anger, relief and slight disbelief tumbled about her head. She had no more idea why Feb came back than she had of why she refused to be rescued in the first place. The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. She leaned forward and clunked her head in frustration on the port window.

She heard a light knock and hesitantly gave a shout to come in. She knew who it was from the knock- how many times had Feb come through that door, drunk, and wound up passing out in her bed. It had become almost a comforting habit, in a strange way, and she had come to like the warmth of Feb's head on her chest as she slept. She winced as she remembered her words in their last argument.  
"I…I'm not too late yet, right?" Feb ventured softly, in a voice that sent a pain through April's chest. She could feel her standing behind her, waiting.  
"What are you saying?" she thought for a second, then remembered. "It's never too early or too late to have a dream." she quipped quickly, trying to get up the nerve to actually turn around and face Feb.  
There was a moment of uneasy silence as they studied one another. Finally Feb cast her eyes down. "I guess we're both tired. I won't bother you any more." she pursed her lips as if she wanted to say more, sighed and turned. "Goodnight, April."  
April watched as she started toward the door, then cleared her throat.  
"Wait." she bit her lip. "Feb…you don't bother me."  
Feb paused, but did not turn around. "Is that so." her voice was barely audible.  
"Really." April began to run her hands through her hair, fishing for the right words. "I mean, if you bothered me I wouldn't have come for you-" she stopped as she saw Feb's head go down. "Oh Feb, don't…" she fumbled for words "Um, can we…can you… I was wondering if you want to stay with me tonight- you know, like how you used to…" she faltered, as Feb turned and stared at her evenly.  
"When I was drunk? I'm not drunk tonight, April."  
"Uh, I guess that's good, right?"  
Feb smiled, kicked off her slippers, and climbed into the bed, pulling the sheet over her. "I'm not going to be drinking so much anymore."  
"Really?" April asked, climbing in behind her, then laying flat on her back, patting her chest in invitation. Feb yawned and nestled her head under April's chin. "Mmmmm…really." her arm went over April's chest and a knee went over her legs. "I want things to be different."  
"Things aren't just going to be different. Things are going to be better- I promise you." April said firmly, and was surprised at the tightened grip on her chest, then realized that Feb was crying, softly, tears spilling onto April's nightshirt.  
"Hey there." she stroked the dark curls of hair away from Feb's face, but Feb only only turned and buried her head deeper into her chest, her body shaking with quiet sobs.  
"Feb…" she became quiet as she realized she wouldn't get a response, and lay there stroking the long dark locks, wishing she knew what to say. Wishing she knew more about this woman who had the ability to just drive her nuts at times, but Feb was not one who ever talked about her past. So she had stopped asking long ago.  
"I missed you." Feb turned her head back to the side, and whispered hoarsely. "I missed you so much, April."  
It was all she could do not to cry at that point, but April figured one crying woman was enough. She pressed her face into the top of Feb's head, fighting back tears. "I missed you too- I'm sorry." was all she could choke out without losing control. Silence fell between them as Feb continued her free-fall of tears, and April continued to stroke her hair, until she could tell from her breathing that Feb had fallen asleep. She lay her head back, closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh.  
She twirled the dark locks up in between her fingers, slowly, as she thought about how she had first met Feb, almost two years ago…..


	2. Chapter 2

The smoke had barely cleared when she felt, rather than saw, a form in one of the cells. The bomb had done its job in killing the guardsmen but accidentally blown off a door. Half coughing, half laughing, April made a mental note to be better with her throw next time. Waving her hands to clear the smoke, she stepped into the cell for a look. The prisoner turned her head and April saw intense green eyes, framed by tangled dark locks, peering up through the smoke at her. For some reason she broke into a smile at the woman, and without hesitation, held out her hand.  
"I'm April. Come with me."  
The woman looked up at her with an expression that had both fear and hope. April saw that her hands were bound and motioned for her to lift her arms. She did so and she cut the binders through with her laser gun.  
"April! Dammit!" Jani shouted, and April heard gunfire erupt.  
"Coming!" she shouted back, and held out her hand again. "Hurry."  
A slender hand took her own and she pulled the woman to her feet, only to see her wobble unsteadily and fall.  
"April!" Jani's voice was furious.  
"Go. Don't bother." the woman said softly. "She needs you."  
"I'm not leaving you here." April growled, bending over and scooping her up. Lean brown arms wrapped around her neck and she stumbled out into the hall. She made her way towards the sounds of battle, following the winding corridors. Suddenly a shot wizzed by her head.  
"Fuck." she realized her hands were full, and she was as good as unarmed. The bundle in her arms quickly came to life, and April felt a ripping sensation as her gun was removed from its holster.  
"You run. I'll shoot." a voice calmly stated.  
"I hope you're a good shot." April grunted, as her options were limited.  
"Watch me."  
And so they proceeded, with April becoming more impressed as they made their way back to Jani. The woman dispensed her shots evenly, rarely missed, and they cleared the decks quickly.  
"April! What the hell!" Jani's voice rose as her mouth dropped open at the sight before her.  
"Oh- Jani." April puffed, trying to regain her breath. "Wait." she slid the woman down but held her close, steadying her as she felt her legs trembling beside her.  
Jani frowned, took a step closer and put her hands on her hips. "Just who the hell is she? We're supposed to be looking for gold, not helpless women!"  
"Shut up!" April spat out. "If you'd seen her with my gun, she's anything but helpless. And her name is…" she turned and shrugged at the tired head now leaning on her shoulder. The woman replaced the gun in the holster and looked up. She seemed both tired and proud at the same time.  
"Febrista. But just call me Feb."  
Jani snorted. "Right. Bullshit. And I suppose you're gonna help us carry the loot back to the ship?"  
"Jani. Enough." April took a step forward, Feb in tow at her side. "We're going back to the ship. You start and I'll send Jun to help you."  
Jani's mouth dropped open. "What the hell's gotten into you?" she called out to the slowly retreating figures, but April didn't answer.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oops. Sorry. It's slippery." April apologized as Feb slid out of her arms into the tub with an awkward splash.  
"It's okay…ow, ow…." She hissed through her teeth as she sat in the water. Kneeling next to the tub, April noticed a faint trail of blood from between Feb's legs. "Oh you've got your period- I'll get you something for that." She went to stand but Feb pulled her back down.  
"It's not that, April. I was…" she paused and looked down, her voice dropping to a whisper "It's not from…that." she began to wash slowly, as April thought for a moment before the meaning of her statement took hold.  
"Bastards!" April thudded her fist against the tub. "I'm glad we killed them all."  
Feb said nothing, gingerly washing herself.  
"Look, if you think you need a doctor…Jun is pretty good at-" she was interrupted as Feb dropped the cloth in the water and turned to her.  
"No! No. I don't want anyone else to touch me. Please."  
"Okay…okay." April held her hands up. "It's ok. Look, I'm going to go get you something to wear, will you be alright in here for a few minutes?"  
"Yes." Feb looked up, and gave her a smile that caused April to grin back.

She gave up on regular pajamas- Feb's legs were longer than hers, and she was so thin they would just fall off. "She really needs to eat something." she muttered out loud, rummaging through the drawers. Finally she found a long slip that would have to do for now. Grabbing the slip and a bathrobe, she bundled them in her arms and headed back to the bathroom.  
"Well this is the best I could…Feb?" she didn't see her. Suddenly she noticed a dark hand holding onto the side of the tub. With a distraught gasp, April dropped the clothes to the floor, flinging the upper half of her body over the tub wall. Splashing and gasping, she pulled Feb up to her and held her tightly.  
"Feb! Say something!" April couldn't believe she'd rescued the woman only to have her drown in her bathtub. "Feb…"  
"April." A voice was low in her ear. "I was just rinsing my hair- not drowning."  
"Oh." April exhaled deeply. "Oh." She said again, suddenly feeling foolish.  
"It's okay." Feb's mouth was in her hair, her long wet locks streaming down over the front of April's body. "Thank you for saving me, April." Feb whispered, her lips brushing lightly against April's ear. A jolt shot through April's body and she made a small choking sound.  
She meant to let her go, sliding her slowly away, feeling the soft skin of Feb's cheek slide over her own, but somehow, her head turned and suddenly their lips were together, pressing softly. An incredible surge took over April's body and she leaned forward, pressing Feb backward into the tub wall. Feb squealed into her mouth, breaking off the kiss.  
"I'm sorry!" April blurted out, pulling away and struggling to regain her footing, and her composure. _Why did I just do such a thing? I'm acting like her captors on that ship. And I'm not like that._  
"Feb, please, I'm not like-" she started, but Feb interrupted her, waving her hands.  
"I know." She lifted her head, and April thought she saw tears glistening in those emerald eyes. "I know, April."  
_Oh what the hell have I done. Look at her._  
"I'm sorry. I just want to help you. Tell me what you need." April busily dried herself off with a towel, avoiding eye contact.  
"I could use a drink." Feb softly sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

And so it had started that evening; Feb had been drinking ever since, some days more than others. The first few weeks she was there, April could hear her crying at night in her room. She'd placed her next to her own bedroom, wanting to keep an eye on her, but afraid to go in and comfort her.  
After a while the crying stopped, and then the fighting began. Tension and spats over just about anything- then Feb would get drunk, come in to her room, and fall asleep on her chest, just as she was now.  
April ran her hand through Feb's thick hair and trailed her hand down to her face. The only time they seemed to be truly at peace with one another, the only time things really felt right, was when they lay here like this.  
"Why is that?" April whispered, reaching for the remote to turn off the light. It was hard to move with the dead weight on her chest, and she felt Feb moan a little and tighten her grip.  
"Don't leave me." she whimpered, her voice thick from sleep.  
"I'm not going anywhere, just turning off the light." April grunted out, finally locating the remote.  
"Promise me you won't leave me again." Feb murmured.  
"Leave you? I never left you. You're the one who ran away from the ship!" April blurted out, and watched as Feb's head jerked up.  
"What?" April asked. "It's true._ You're_ the one who left, not me."  
Feb's eyes narrowed and she suddenly sat up, staring at April.  
"You don't have to leave the ship to be gone." She jumped up and headed for the door.  
"What the hell does that mean? Feb! Come back here!" April tumbled angrily out of the bed. Feb didn't even bother to look back at her as she slammed the door. April threw the remote at the door and the lights blinked out. Cursing her way through the darkness, she stumbled to the door and into the hallway just in time to see Feb enter her room.  
"Goodnight April." Feb shot out as she ducked into her door. "Sweet dreams."  
"Dammit Feb!" April reached the door and shook the handle, knowing it would be locked.  
"You say some obscure shit about leaving, and then you go and leave me!" April whirled and kicked the door. "And you have the nerve to want me to make some promise to _you_?"  
"Yea, I want you to promise to shut up!" Jani yelled from down the hallway. April turned and saw Jani standing in her nightshirt, her hair sticking straight up.  
Jun's door cracked open, and she peered out into the hall, an amused expression on her face.  
"Well, looks like things are back to normal." she smirked.  
"Very funny." April massaged her kicking foot.  
"Sure was a lot quieter without her here. Maybe you should have kept Percy and let her go after all." Jani snorted.  
"Maybe _you_ should mind your own business!" April shouted, then strode back to her room and slammed the door with a loud crack that echoed down the hallway.


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn't a knock, it was Jani's fist beating on the door that woke April from a restless sleep. It had taken forever to fall asleep- she'd heard Feb crying next door, and somehow that got her more upset than the fight they'd just had. She paced a while, until the crying stopped. Then she had waited by the door, hoping to hear that timid drunk knock from Feb after she'd been drinking. But that knock had never come, and finally she took a warm bath and went to bed.  
"What do you want?" April yelled out, not yet ready to get up and face the galaxy.  
"I want you to get your butt out of bed and make yourself useful." Jani answered. "We have a chance to make some money."  
"Money?" April was at attention now, and got up quickly. She ran to the door and flung it open. "I'm listening."  
"Jun did a little spamming and we have a potential buyer for the guns we've been stockpiling off our raids. But I need to get them more sorted and cleaned up before we go down to show them."  
"Okay, I'll get on my work suit and be right there." April went over to her closet. "Did you- did you wake up Feb yet?" she asked casually, rooting through her clothes.  
"Didn't have to. She got up on her own today and even seems to be sober. Maybe you should kick her door _every_ night before she goes to bed." Jani snickered at the thought.  
"You're just so full of good advice these days." April huffed as she got dressed.  
"I'm absolutely chock-full of wisdom." Jani puffed out her chest.  
"You're chock-full of it, all right." April muttered as she went through the door.  
"Hey! I heard that!"

She knew she was up, but she hadn't expected to see her in the armory, working alongside Jun and little Mayo. Feb usually didn't engage in hard labor- she preferred the kitchen, or being at the ship's console. She wore a dark green smock that had wide straps, almost like overalls. April had never seen Feb wear anything like that before, and couldn't help but stare for a moment.  
"Like it?" Feb asked, her eyes not matching the warmth of her voice.  
"It's really- different." April shrugged, not wanting to get into another fight. She took a seat on the bench opposite of Feb, and looked at the huge stack of guns on the table.  
"All these work?" she asked out loud, not sure who would have tested them.  
"I fired them all this morning." Feb said evenly. "Jani's been hauling the crates in, Jun sorted them and I fired the ones that looked good."  
"We're just going to need some good sets to take." Jun tossed a rag at April. Jani grunted as she moved crates around, trying to put them in sorting order. Mayo swung her feet busily back and forth, bent over her homework.  
"A-29's in this one, 410's in this one." Jani tapped the crates with her foot as she rattled off what gun went in each. "We've got seven batches altogether."  
"Sounds good." April bent her head and started her cleaning. The simple worked helped her to feel better, and she occasionally stole a sideways look at Feb, trying to gage her mood. Feb had twisted her hair and pulled it back, showing the fine angles of her face. Afraid that she would somehow start a fight again, April bent her head over further and continued working. Jani plopped down next her and started her own round of cleaning. The sound of metal clacking and hands scrubbing soon filled the room.  
"Why isn't anyone talking?" Mayo asked, clicking off her tablet.  
"Because we're busy." Jun answered patiently. "Are you finished?"  
"Yes. Do you want to check?" Mayo asked, clicking the tablet back on. April watched as Jun came over and put her hand on Mayo's shoulder, going over her work. Jun was reveling in her chance to be a parent. April sighed, wishing she was as happy.  
"What is that for?" Jani asked.  
"Nothing." April caught Feb looking at her, and looked back down at her gun.  
"Why were you yelling at us last night?" Mayo asked as she got up from the table.  
"What? I wasn't yelling at you." April was surprised at the question. She frowned and dragged her arm across her face, wiping the sweat from it. "I was just-"  
"She was yelling at me." Feb said evenly, and Mayo came to stand next to her.  
"Why was she yelling at you? Were you fighting again?" Mayo looked confused.  
"Yes we were, sorry about that." April nodded her head. "I didn't mean to bother your sleep."  
"Why do you fight so much?" Mayo asked, pulling on her ponytail. The room became quiet, and April realized that she and Feb were the center of attention. She cleared her throat nervously, searching for something to say.  
"Because we don't know what else to do with each other." Feb's soft voice filled the room.  
"Well, maybe you should play cards instead." Mayo announced, satisfied with the answer. Jani snorted and Jun gestured at Mayo to join her. Mayo took a step and something crunched under her foot.  
"Oh, look what I found that fell out of the pile!" she said brightly, holding up a pair of black sunglasses.  
"Those look a little big for you." Feb observed. Mayo turned back around and planted the sunglasses on Feb's face. Mayo stepped back and giggled. Then she stopped and tapped her lip.  
"You know with those on, you look like Percy." She tilted her head. "Jun, don't you think so?"  
"Well, she does have the same skin and hair, now that you mention it." Jun agreed. "But I have to say their lips are different."  
"Yea, Feb actually has lips." Jani chortled. "Ouch!" she yelped as April pinched her.  
"Well, since I was here first, I think it's safe to say that Percy looked like me." Feb swung her head around, but April couldn't see her eyes through the dark lenses.  
"What do you think?" she asked April.  
"I think I don't want to talk about this." April said tersely. Feb stood up and leaned over the table, her hand coming up to April's mouth.  
"Watch how you wipe. Your mouth is dirty." She said, running her thumb over April's lips. April jumped up and almost fell backwards over the bench. Jani and Mayo both burst out laughing.  
"You did the exact same thing the first time Micki Stousser touched you." Jani slapped her knee with laughter.  
"Micki Stousser? Who was he?" Feb asked, her head snapping in Jani's direction.  
"Stousser was April's jail girl." Jani snorted.  
"Jani! Shut up about that!" April fumed as a collective gasp went up around her.  
"You were in jail?" Mayo was incredulous.  
"You kissed a girl?" Jun's eyes were like saucers.  
"What was it like?" they both said at once, and Jani laughed even harder. Feb had sat back down at the table and was staring silently at April.  
"Of course she was in jail! You're living with a bunch of pirates, kid." Jani good-naturedly elbowed Mayo. "How do you think I met her? She was my best jail buddy!"  
"Will you kiss me?" Jun asked, looking hopeful.  
"I'm not kissing anybody!" April threw up her hands in frustration. "I'm not talking about this anymore- I'm leaving!"  
Jani's laughter echoed in the room as April ran out the door.


End file.
